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Wednesday, March 13, 2013

New Horse-Slaughter Legislation

New legislation named "SAFE" was propsed today to protect out horses from slaughter. The Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act, as the pending legislation is called, would not only ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption in the U.S. but would also prohibit shipping horses outside the U.S. for food slaughter. Call your legislators today and ask them to co-sponsor and support SAFE (HR.1094/S.541)!! Here are links to the information you need to contact your legislators. ~DeclanUS CongressUS Senate

Pols seek new horse-slaughter ban

A bill set to be introduced Wednesday would say “nay” to horse meat on American shores.

Sens. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Reps. Patrick Meehan (R-Pa.) and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) plan to introduce legislation to stop the slaugher of horses for food purposes in the United States, according to ABC News. A federal ban on the practice went into effect in 2006 but lapsed in 2011, and a New Mexico company plans to open a slaughterhouse soon.

The legislation comes as revelations about horse meat mislabeled as beef in IKEA meatballs and British ground beef and at Taco Bell have shocked Western Europe.

The law, if passed, would also ban the export of horses for food slaughter. The law is backed by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Humane Society of the United States.

“Horses sent to slaughter are often subject to appalling, brutal treatment,” Schakowsky said in a statement to ABC News. “We must fight those practices. The Safeguard American Food Exports Act of 2013 will ensure that these majestic animals are treated with the respect they deserve.”

SAFE Act

The Safeguard American Food Exports "SAFE" H.R.1942 is the current bill proposed in the House and Senate to protect American horses from slaughter. PLEASE contact your legisltors and ask the to cosponsor and support SAFE.

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Declan Bio

Declan is honored to be the 2012 ASPCA's Humane Kid of the Year and the first ever recipient of the ASPCA Junior Equine Angel Award. Declan is also an ASPCA Junior Equine Welfare Ambassador.

After hearing about the inhumane and cruel practice of horse slaughter, now ten-year-old Declan, decided he needed to raise his voice. He created Children 4 Horses, to spread the word about horse advocacy issues and worked diligently with the Million Horse March campaign to collect letters from children to inspire lawmakers to end the slaughter of American horses.

Declan’s dedication to horse advocacy brought him to the nation’s capital twice, where he represented over 1,000 children from the United States by presenting the letters to legislators in Congress. While in Washington DC, Declan met with Congressman Frank Guinta of New Hampshire, where he shared his opposition to the inhumane treatment of horses and subsequently garnered the Congressman’s co-sponsorship of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (S.1176/H.R.2966).

Declan also joined forces with the “Horses on the Hill” campaign, speaking before celebrities, Congressmen and Senators to lobby against horse slaughter and advocate for the protection of horses under S.1176/H.R.2966. In addition to his three Washington DC visits, Declan testified at a hearing for a bill opposing horse slaughter at the New Hampshire State House in January, 2012.